MACON, Ga. -- The Atlantic Sun Conference today announced its Volleyball All-Conference
Team, selected by the league's 10 head coaches. Each of the six teams entering
the 2006 Atlantic Sun Volleyball Tournament are represented on the first, second
and all-freshmen teams.
Belmont was highly favored among the coaches, as the Bruins walked away with
three-first team selections, one second team pick, as well as Player and Coach
of the Year honors.
Colleen Nilson (McHenry, Ill.) was voted Player of the Year and First
Team All-Atlantic Sun. The junior setter was named A-Sun Player of the Week
twice during the regular season, leads the league in assists, averaging 13.33
per game and is currently ranked 14th in the nation. She is also ranked second
in the league in aces, averaging 0.51 per game. Nilson is joined by teammates
Katie Tobiasz (Rocky River, Ohio) and Jaye Schuler. Tobiasz is
ranked among the league's top-10 in hitting percentage while Schuler leads the
league with a .381 hitting percentage (ranked 30th nationally) and the Bruins
in blocks with 65 total. The Lexington, Ill., native earned Player of the Week
honors on Sept. 11.
Belmont head coach Deane Webb was chosen as Coach of the Year. Leading
the Bruins to 22 wins for the second consecutive time, Webb tied his record
for program wins at Belmont. Webb, who received the award in 2004, has reached
the A-Sun Championship finals for the past two years.
Regular season champion ETSU had one player on the first team and three on
the second team. Named Player of the Week on Oct. 30, Jennifer Sartor
(Toronto, Canada) received first team honors after being named second team last
season. Hitting .311, the senior middle blocker is ranked seventh in the league
in hitting percentage and leads the league in kills with 465. Sartor and the
Lady Bucs rode a wave of momentum throughout the season, racking up a school
record 16 consecutive wins.
Lipscomb boasts a pair on the first team as well. Two seniors, Ann Mullins
(Nashville, Tenn.) and Lindsey Rutherford (Hendersonville, Tenn.) have
been a huge part of the Lady Bisons' success this season. Mullins who was voted
to the second team and Libero of the Year a season ago, is leading the league
in digs, averaging 6.16 per game and ranks 11th nationally. Meanwhile, Rutherford
is averaging 2.87 kills per game and ranked ninth in digs.
Rounding out the first team is UNF's Maegan Weisert (Virginia Beach,
Va.). The junior outside hitter is ranked fourth in the league in kills with
437. Weisert posted an impressive 21 double-doubles and has 386 digs on the
season.
Mercer's Jen Darty (Orlando, Fla.) earned All-Freshman and Freshman
of the Year honors. In her rookie campaign, Darty amassed 223 kills, 29 digs
and 100 blocks. She and rest of the Bears will face Lipscomb Friday at the 2006
Atlantic Sun Tournament, hosted by Belmont.